NBA Teams – Page 1309 – NBA Blog

Hawks recall Mike Scott from D-League

The Atlanta Hawks have recalled rookie forward Mike Scott from the Bakersfield Jam, their NBA Development League affiliate, Hawks President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry announced today.

Scott was assigned on March 1st and started three games for the Jam, averaging 24.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 37.3 minutes (.482 FG%, .909 FT%), recording at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in each contest. The three-game stretch was Scott’s second assignment to the Jam this season.

Scott, a second round pick (43rd overall) from Virginia in the 2012 NBA Draft, has seen action in 25 games for the Hawks this season, averaging 3.0 points and 2.1 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game (.452 FG%, .750 FT%).

He will be available for tonight’s game against the 76ers.

Luke Babbitt barely playing for Blazers lately

Over the last five Blazers games, Babbitt has played a total of just 9 seconds. There have been four “DNP — Coach’s Decisions” etched next to Babbitt’s name in NBA box scores during this time as he has taken a back seat — along the Blazers’ bench — to emerging rookie forward Victor Claver.

It’s a sudden and emphatic role change for Babbitt, who earlier this season — particularly after that big outing against the Bobcats — was a semi-regular in coach Terry Stotts’ always-evolving rotation as a “stretch four.”

During a three-game run in December, when the Blazers defeated the San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Hornets and Denver Nuggets in consecutive games, Babbitt reached double figures in scoring each outing. He seemed poised for a consistent, impactful season.

— Reported by Joe Freeman of the Oregonian

Heat, Greg Oden will talk more over summer

The Miami Heat considered center Greg Oden for their final roster spot before last week signing a guy who is 15 years older. But Oden will be back on the Heat’s radar this summer.

Mike Conley Sr., the agent for Oden, said Wednesday he had discussions with Miami president Pat Riley about the spot the Heat had open between Feb. 20 and last Saturday, when they signed 40-year-old Juwan Howard to a 10-day contract. But Conley Sr. said it was decided it’s best to wait until the summer before talking further about Oden, the NBA’s top draft choice in 2007 who is trying to make a comeback after not having played in the NBA since December 2009 due to knee injuries.

“The Heat are interested in him, and he’s interested in them,’’ Conley Sr. said in a phone interview with FOX Sports Florida. “In Miami’s situation, it just made sense to wait until after the season.’’

Oden, who is continuing to rehab in Columbus, Ohio, where he had played at Ohio State, isn’t ready yet to play this season anyway. Conley Sr. had looked into the possibility of Oden signing with a team for rehab purposes, but he said no team stepped up with an offer.

— Reported by Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports

Chris Kaman hopes to stick with Mavs

For the Mavericks, that’s 60 percent of the team — nine of 15 players, assuming O.J. Mayo doesn’t exercise his player option for next season, which would seem unlikely.

Chris Kaman is one of those players. He signed a one-year deal last summer at $8 million and as far as he’s concerned, he’d like to stick around longer. But he knows now is not the time to make an issue of it.

“Hopefully, I’ll have an option to come back here next year,” he said. “I like Dallas. The people here do a real good job. It’s one of the most professional organizations I’ve ever been a part of. For me, the top one. I like how they do things and maintain their professionalism throughout the whole year, whether we’re up or down.”

— Reported by Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News

Iman Shumpert still trying to regain form after torn ACL

He admittedly isn’t the player he was last season when he ranked seventh in the NBA in steals, made the All-Rookie first team and was the only first-year player to receive Defensive Player of the Year votes.

The explosiveness isn’t there. The lateral quickness isn’t the same. Things the athletic Shumpert would do easily, like finishing at the rim, aren’t happening nearly as much.

“It [ticks] me off,” he said.

In 20 games, Shumpert is averaging 4.7 points, shooting 30.8 percent from the field, 34 percent from three-point range and 64.7 percent from the foul line, and collecting 0.90 steals a game.

He’s playing fewer minutes and doesn’t have the ball as much. Most of his stats are markedly down from last year, when Shumpert averaged 9.5 points, converted 40.1 percent of his shots, 30.6 percent from three-point range and 79.8 percent from the line and averaged 1.71 steals.

— Reported by Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday

Former Knicks guard Ray Williams ailing from undisclosed illness

“Once a Knick, Always a Knick” is more than just a marketing slogan stitched inside the uniforms of each player who wears orange and blue.

For Ray Williams, it is a matter of life and death.

The ailing former Knicks guard, who has fallen on hard times, was transported by the Knicks last week from Florida to New York to receive treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in Manhattan for an undisclosed illness. Madison Square Garden Chairman James Dolan paid for the medical plane that allowed Williams, 58, to receive world-class care and to be near his mother.

A product of Mount Vernon, Williams played 10 seasons with six teams, including two tours of duty with both the Knicks and Nets. The Knicks drafted Williams, who played one season with current Knicks coach Mike Woodson, with the 10th pick of the 1977 draft.

— Reported by Frank Isola of the New York Daily News

Jose Juan Barea flagrant foul on Ray Allen downgraded

J.J. Barea’s confrontation with Ray Allen got him ejected from Minnesota’s game against Miami on Monday night. One day later, the NBA ruled that Barea never should have been ejected.

Barea was encouraged by the correction, but it came a little too late for Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman. The NBA downgraded a flagrant 2 on Barea to a flagrant 1 on Tuesday, meaning Barea will not face a fine or suspension for his foul on Allen.

“The NBA did a good job looking at it,” Barea said after practice Tuesday. “It wasn’t that bad. It’s all right.”

— Reported by the Associated Press

Serge Ibaka fined $25,000 for hitting Blake Griffin where it hurts

Serge Ibaka of the Oklahoma City Thunder has been fined $25,000 for striking Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers in the groin area, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident, which was called a Flagrant Foul 1 on the floor and upgraded to a Flagrant Foul 2 upon league office review, occurred with 1:52 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Thunder’s 108-104 win over the Clippers on Sunday, March 3 at Staples Center.

Pau Gasol hopes to get clearance for running drills soon

Assuming he doesn’t experience any setbacks, Pau Gasol plans to seek medical clearance to participate in running drills once the Lakers returns Thursday from a two-day trip that includes stops in Oklahoma City (tonight) and New Orleans (Wednesday).

When the Lakers (30-30) play the Oklahoma City Thunder (43-16) tonight at Chesapeake Energy Arena, Gasol will have missed 12 games in the past month since tearing the plantar fascia of his right foot. Gasol traveled with the Lakers and spent time at the end of the team’s morning shootaround today with strength and conditioning coach Tim DiFrancesco performing various exercises that test his gluteal and neuro muscles.

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News (Blog)

Deron Williams says his ankles feel better

Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams, who has battled injuries all season, says his ankles don’t hurt and claims he can dunk.

During the week he was sidelined because of inflammation in both ankles, Williams did a three-day juice cleanse, regaining energy and getting bad toxins out of his system. He also received his third set of cortisone shots in both ankles and felt better as a result.

“My ankles don’t hurt,” Williams said Tuesday. “We finally got the injections in the right spot, and they feel a little bit better. I can actually walk up and down stairs and run around with my kids. I can go to the playground with them. I don’t have to hurt every time I take a single step. So, yeah, I feel a lot better. I can dunk.”

As for actually dunking in a game, Williams remains cautious.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m still nervous.”

— Reported by Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York